The Eyes Have It

[An adaptation]

Screen Play by

Alysa Nair

Based on the short story

‘The eyes have it’ by Ruskin Bond

Name of Student: Alysa Nair

Course Title: BMC 214, Scriptwriting for Broadcast Media

Date: 18th June, 2012

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Setting:

Setting 1 - Rohana train station

Setting 2 – First class compartment

Setting 3 – Saharanpur train station

Character Description:

1- Man in compartment – Aged 35, nationality, Indian, Wearing a

plain sky blue shirt, dark brown formal pants, fairly built,
good-looking, wearing sun glasses and sandals on his feet,
folded newspaper and pencil in one hand

2- Young girl – Aged 27, nationality, Indian, Wearing a pink

salwar kameez, long black hair, slim, pretty face and eyes,
wearing slippers on her feet

3- Young girl’s Parents – Mother and father, nationality,

Indian, aged over 55. Mother wearing a plain yellow salwar and
father wearing a kurta and jeans

4- Young girl’s Aunt – Plump, kind-faced, aged over 50,

nationality, Indian, wearing a light blue salwar kameez

5- Passenger – Middle Aged, Nationality, Indian, wearing a pin

suit, loosely tied tie, collar button open, formal pants, papers
and file in his hand, formal shoes

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1. FADE IN BLACK TO COLOURED SCREEN, WITH PATCHES OF ORANGE,

YELLOW AND RED

Monologue of the ‘man in compartment’. Background sound of the

train chugging and slowing down – soft at first, but builds up
as it goes on

“People, with good eyesight, usually fail to see what’s right in

front of their eyes. Instead, they choose to play games, and be
blind to the pure truth. And then… when you play a game, with
love and truth, that’s when, you lose…”

TRAIN SCREECHES TO A HAULT, LOUDLY NOW, EXTREME

WIDE SHOT, TOP ANGLE OF THE TRAIN IN THE STATION PAUSING TO A
HAULT.TRAIN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FRAME. CAMERA MOVES FROM
LEFT TO RIGHT, AND MOVES INTO FRAME, STOPPING AT VERY WIDE SHOT
TOP ANGLE SHOT OF THE ROHANA TRAIN STATION. TRAIN NOW AT THE
BOTTOM OF THE FRAME, WHILE FRAME SHOWS THE WALKING BRIGDE OVER
THE TRAIN, THE BUSTLING TRAIN STATION AND PEOPLE WALKING IN AND
OUT. IT IS MORNING, CLOSE TO AFTERNOON (AROUND 11:00 PM)
BACKGROUND SOUND OF THE TRAIN STATION GETS LOUDER, AS THE CAMERA
GOES FROM EXTREME WIDE SHOT, TOP ANGLE TO VERY WIDE SHOT, TOP
ANGLE. SHOW THE TRAIN STATION AND IT’S ACTIVITY

WIDE SHOT, TRAIN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FRAME,

SHOWING THE PLATFORM ON THE RIGHT, PEOPLE WALKING UP AND DOWN,
AND HIGHGLIGHTING A FAMILY OF THREE – THE FATHER, MOTHER AND
DAUGHTER, WHO ARE LOADING IN THE LUGGAGE. FATHER TAKING LUGGAGE
FROM THE PLATFORM TO THE TRAIN, MOTHER STANDING NEAR DAUGHTER,
BOTH LOOKING AT THE FATHER. DAUGHTER SEEMING A BIT LOST.

FATHER GETS INSIDE THE TRAIN, LEFT SIDE OF THE FRAME, AND LEANS
OUT TO GIVE HIS HAND TO HIS DAUGTHER, WHO STEPS IN, LOOKING LOST
STILL, AND THEN FOLLOWED BY THE MOTHER

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2. MID SHOT OF THE COMPARTMENT DOOR, DOMINATING THE WHOLE FRAME,

AS THE COMPARTMENT DOOR IS OPENED TO REVEAL THE FATHER GETTING
INTO THE COMPARTMENT

POV OF THE FATHER REVEALING THE EMPTY COMPARTMENT,

WITH TWO SIDES, THE AISLE IN BETWEEN THE TWO MAINLY DOMINATING
THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FRAME, REVEALING MORE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF
THE FRAME, WHERE A MAN, TOP RIGHT OF THE FRAME, IS SITTING ON
THE LEFT LOWER LEFT BERTH, IS SLEEPING, WITH A FOLDED NEWSPAPER
IN HIS RIGHT HAND AND SUNGLASSES ON, NEAR THE LEFT LOWER BERTH
WINDOW WHICH IS OPENED COMPLETELY, LETTING IN MAXIMUM SUNLIGHT.
THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LOWER BERTH HAS ANOTHER WINDOW WHICH IS
OPENED A BIT.

Father exclaims happily, with a bit of relief:

“This is nice”

MID SHOT, OBJECTIVE POINT OF VIEW, EYE LEVEL,

SHOWING THE MAN SITTING AT ON THE LEFT SIDE LOWER BERTH, ON THE
LEFT SIDE OF THE FRAME, AND THE PARENTS ENTERING FROM THE
COMPARTMENT DOOR ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FRAME, WALKING TOWARD
THE SEAT OPPOSITE THE MAN – THAT IS THE RIGHT LOWER BERTH.
FATHER KEEPING LUGGAGE ON THE TOP BERTH, WHILE THE MOTHER GUIDES
THE DAUGHTER TO SIT NEAR THE WINDOW OF THE LOWER RIGHT OF THE
BERTH

3. BLACK SCREEN DISSOLVING TO COLOURED SCREEN WITH BLOTCHES OF

RED, YELLOW AND ORANGE, MAN BREATHING, VOICES OF THE MOTHER,
FATHER AND DAUGTHER

Mother: “Now, remember not to talk to strangers. Get off at the

right stop. It’s only one stop, okay?”

Daughter: “Yes mother. I know. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I’m a

big girl now”

Father: “Come, Asha. She’ll be fine…”

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4. OTS, SHOWING A LITTLE OF AN OUTLINE OF THE MAN, ON THE LEFT

SIDE OF THE FRAME, AND THE FATHER STANDING OVER THE DAUGHTER AND
MOTHER. DAUTHER IS SITTING NEAR THE WINDOW, AND THE MOTHER RIGHT
NEXT TO HER.

Father: “You take care, and call us when aunty, okay?”

MID CLOSE UP SHOT OF DAUGHTER LOOKING OUTSIDE

THE WINDOW WITH GLASS EYES, NOT LOOKING ANYWHERE IN PARTICULAR

Daughter, smiling, says: “Yes father…” the train starts to jerk,

engine starting up again. Daughter looking worried now “Leave
before the train leaves now! Go, I’ll be fine. I love you both”

POV OF DAUGHTER, FATHER ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE

FRAME DOMINATING IT COMPLETELY, SHOWING A LITTLE SLITHER OF THE
MAN BEHIND HIM. FATHER SMILES, LOOKS TO HIS RIGHT THAT IS THE
LOWER LEFT SIDE OF THE FRAME

Father to the mother: “Let’s go”

BACK TO OTS OF THE MAN, SHOWING MOTHER NODDING, KISSING THE

DAUGHTER ON THE CHEEK – THE DAUGHTER SMILES, AND THEY WALK TO
RIGHT SIDE OF THE FRAME. YOU HEAR THE FOOTSTEPS, OPENING OF THE
DOOR AND THEN THE CLOSING OF THE DOOR, AS THE TRAIN STARTS TO
SLOWLY MOVE. GIRL STILL BLANKLY LOOKING OUTSIDE

Man: “Those are some over-bearing parents.” [Laughs] “Can you

really manage yourself?”

GIRL LOOKS SHOCKED AND GASPS. Girl: “Who is there?”

OTS OF THE GIRL, SHOWING THE MAN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FRAME,
WITH HIS EXPRESSION

Man: “Oh, I’m sorry, did I startle you?”

Girl: “Oh, uhmm…sorry. I didn’t see you”

Man frowns. Man: “It must be the VERY DARK corner I’m sitting
in. Anyway, camouflage was a major part of my job description,
as a solider”

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EYE LEVEL, OBJECTIVE POINT OF VIEW, MID SHOT, SHOWING THE TWO
BERTHS, THE LEFT SIDE WITH THE MAN AND THE WIDE OPEN WINDOW, AND
THE GIRL ON THE RIGHT WITH THE WINDOW SLIGHTLY OPENED

Girl: “Oh, that’s nice.”

Man: “Where are you traveling to? Are you going the full way to
Dehra?”

Girl: “No. I’m getting off at Saharanpur. My aunt is meeting me

there”

Man: “Ahh… a short stop AND an aunt. Then best not to get too
familiar” Girl laughs

MID-CLOSE UP SHOT OF MAN, LOOKING AT THE GIRL. A BIT SERIOUS IN

HIS TONE, BUT SMILING A LITTLE

Man: “No really. I’ve had bad experiences with them. Formidable
creatures they are”

Girl laughs again. Expression of the man is a calm smile. He is

enjoying listening to her laughter.

MID-CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE GIRL, LOOKING TOWARDS THE MAN, STILL

GLASSY EYED. Girl [smiling]: “that’s a bit mean now. My aunt
isn’t all that bad. So, where are you travelling to?”

MID SHOT, EYE LEVEL, OBJECTIVE POV, SHOWING THE TWO OF THEM ON
EITHER SIDE OF THE FRAME AGAIN

Man: “To Dehra, and then Mussoorie”

Girl: “hmmm…”

[Silence for a few seconds]

MID CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE MAN, LOOKING CALM, AND THEN

CONTEMPLATIVE, TRYING TO THINK OF A WAY TO MAKE CONVERSATION,
LOOKING DOWN, AND THEN UP. FINALLY HE SPEAKS:

Man: “What is it like outside?”

MID-CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE GIRL, SHOWING HER EXPRESSION. TURNING

FROM THE WINDOW TO HIM, LOOKING CONFUSED

Girl: “huh?”

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CUT IN OF MAN CRUNCHING THE NEWSPAPER IN HIS HAND. MID CLOSE UP

SHOT, OF MAN BITING HIS LIP A BIT SCARED

MID CLOSE UP SHOT OF GIRL, Girl: “Why don’t you just look
outside?”

CUT IN OF MAN LOOSENING HIS GRIP ON THE PAPER. MID-CLOSE UP SHOT

OF THE MAN, LOOKING MORE RELIEVED. TURNS HIS HEAD TOWARDS THE
OPEN WINDOW, AND MOVES HEAD FROM SIDE TO SIDE, SLOWLY

PAN FROM LEFT TO RIGHT OF THE WILDERNESS OUTSIDE THE WINDOW,

SOUND OF WIND GUSHING INTO HIS EARS, THE TRAIN ENGINE BECOMES A
BIT LOUDER, AND THE SOUND OF THE RUMBLE OF WHEELS IS LOUD

BACK TO CLOSE UP OF THE MAN, LEFT SIDE OF THE FRAME, WHO TURNS
FROM THE WINDOW TO FACE THE GIRL

Man: “hmm, did you notice...the trees seem to be moving, while

we are standing still?”

MID SHOT, OBJECTIVE POV, EYE LEVEL, GIRL TURNS TO FROM THE
WINDOW TO FACE THE MAN

Girl: “That always happens. Do you see any animals?”

OTS OF THE GIRL, SHOWING THE MAN CLEARLY AND HIS EXPRESSION MORE
CONFIDENT, ESPECIALLY IN HIS TONE OF SPEECH

Man: “No.”

MAN LOOKING AT DIRECTION OF THE GIRL, THEN OUTSIDE, THEN TURNS

BACK TO HER

Man: “You have a very interesting face.”

Girl laughs loudly

CLOSE UP SHOT OF GIRL

Girl [smiling]: “That’s a much better comment than a ‘pretty’

face. I usually get that”

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CLOSE UP SHOT OF MAN, SMILING KINDLY AND ROMANTICALLY

Man: “Your laugh…it’s very soothing”

CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE GIRL.

Girl smiling knowingly: “You are a very gallant aren’t you?”

CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE MAN

Man smirks a little, then looks a bit down and says: “Too bad.
You’re stop is coming up right now.”

MID CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE GIRL, GASPING, MOVING HER HANDS TO HER
MOUTH

Girl: “Thank you, I almost forgot!”

OBJECTIVE POV, EYE LEVEL, MID SHOT OF THE TWO. GIRL FEELING THE
SEAT, AND THE WALLS, TO STAND UP, TURNING TOWARDS THE UPPER
BERTH ON THE RIGHT TO GET THE LUGGAGE

5. WIDE SHOT OF THE TRAIN REACHING SAHARANPUR STATION, COMING TO

A HAULT WITH A SCREECH. TRAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FRAME,
PLATFORM FILLED WITH PEOPLE WAITING TO THE RIGHT

6. MID SHOT, OBJECTIVE POV, EYE LEVEL OF THE TWO. MAN SITTING,
LOOKING UP AT THE GIRL, THE GIRL STANDING WITH HER BACK TOWARDS
THE MAN, HOLDING HER BAG. THEN THE TRAIN JERKS AND SHE FALLS
BACKWARDS AND THE MAN CATCHING HER BY THE WAIST

MID-CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE MAN, SITTING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE

FRAME, WITH HER LONG HAIR GENTLY ON HIS FACE, AND THE GIRL
LOOKING SCARED.BOTH IN THAT POSITION FOR A SECOND, WHERE THE MAN
LOOKS AMAZED, AND THE GIRL BLUSHING, THEN SHE STRAIGHTENS AND
TURNS TO HIM

MID SHOT, OBJECTIVE POV, EYE LEVEL OF THE TWO, MAN ON THE TOP
LEFT OF THE FRAME, SITTING LOOKING UP, GIRL, LOOKING A BIT DOWN,

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BUT NOT INTO HIS EYES, HOLDING THE HANDLE OF HER LUGGAGE TROLLEY
WITH HER LEFT HAND

Girl: “Thank you…goodbye”

Man: “Goodbye”

GIRL TURNS SLOWLY AND WALKS AWAY, FROM THE LEFT, STRAIGHT FIRST,
THEN TURNS TO THE RIGHT AND EXITS. MAN TURNING IN THE DIRECTION
OF THE SOUND AS SHE WALKS AWAY, AND, EVEN AFTER SHE IS OUT OF
FRAME, YOU HEAR THE COMPARTMENT DOOR OPEN WITH A BANG AND A MALE
PASSENGER GASPING

MID CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE COMPARTMENT DOOR OPENED, THE GIRL ON

THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FRAME, LOOKING A BIT TAKEN A BACK, AND
THEN MALE PASSENGER ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FRAME, BLOCKING THE
ENTRY AND EXIT OF THE COMPARTMENT DOOR.

Passenger: “Oh! Uhmm, ah sorry”

PASSENGER MOVES TO A SIDE WHILE THE GIRL GOES THROUGH

MID SHOT, OBJECTIVE POV, EYE LEVEL OF THE TWO, MAN ON THE TOP
LEFT OF THE FRAME, SITTING LOOKING TOWARDS THE SOUND OF THE
NOISE, A BIT WORRIED, AND THEN LOOKS AWAY, TOWARDS THE OPEN
WINDOW.

MID SHOT, OBJECTIVE POV, EYE LEVEL, THE MAN ON THE MIDDLE LEFT
SIDE OF THE FRAME, LOOKING OUT OF THE WINDOW, AS THE PASSENGER
COMES IN AND OCCUPIES THE SEAT THAT THE GIRL WAS IN.

PASSENGER CLEARS THROAT, AS MAN LOOKS AWAY FROM THE WINDOW AND
GOES TO OPEN THE NEWSPAPER

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Passenger: “Hey there. How are you?”

POV OF THE PASSENGER, THE MAN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FRAME,
SLIGHTLY FOLDING THE TOP PART OF THE PAPER AND LOOKING UP

Man: “Hello. I’m good, and yourself?”

MID SHOT, OBJECTIVE POV, EYE LEVEL, THE MAN ON THE MIDDLE LEFT
SIDE OF THE FRAME, AND PASSENGER ON THE RIGHT, NOW LIFTING UP TO
POINT AT THE NEWSPAPER

Passenger: “I’m good too...hey; you’re holding that paper wrong.

It’s upside down” [laughs] “disoriented after being with that
girl and sad that it’s me who has taken her place?”

MID-CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE MAN, A BIT EMBARRASSED, TURNING THE

PAPER THE OTHER WAY. SETTLES THE PAPER PROPERLY IN HIS HAND,
THEN SAYS

Man: “Well, she did have an interesting face”

Passenger: “Interesting?”

MID CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE PASSENGER

Passenger: “Hahaha, she was by far the prettiest girl I’d

seen…too bad for her eyes though. They were the best part of
her”

MID CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE MAN, LOOKING LIKE HE IS READING, BUT

ACTING DISINTERESTED, THEN ASKS

Man: “Why do you say that?”

TRAIN ENGINE STARTING UP

MID CLOSE UP OF THE PASSENGER, LOOKING FROM THE WINDOW, HIM ON

THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FRAME, AND ON THE LEFT THROUGH THE WINDOW,
YOU SEE THE PLATFORM WHERE THE GIRL IS NOW GREETING HER AUNT,
TURNS TO THE MAN

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TRAIN ENGINE STARTED UP COMPLETELY AND THEY START TO MOVE, THE

AUNT AND GIRL MOVING OUT OF THE FRAME, AND YOU SEE A BLUR
OUTSIDE, OF THE STATION, AS THE TRAIN PICKS UP PACE

Passenger: “Well, you’d have to be blind not to have noticed.

They were beautiful, but she couldn’t use them…you didn’t see?
She was blind”

MID CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE MAN, MOVING HIS HEAD, STOPPED SUDDENLY
AND IS STILL, IN SHOCK, STARING BLANKLY AT THE PAPER

MID CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE PASSENGER, LOOKING A BIT OFF

Passenger: “are you okay…?”

OBJECTIVE POV, EYE LEVEL OF THE TWO, MID SHOT, SHOWING THE MAN
CLOSING THE PAPER SLOWLY AND LOOKING OUTSIDE

Passenger: “Hey, are you fine?”

Man: “Yeah, I am”

PASSENGER FALLS BACK ON THE SEAT

Passenger: “but really, how did you not notice? Was she
sleeping?”

MID CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE MAN, TURNING FROM THE WINDOW TO THE
PASSENGER

OTS OF THE MAN, SHOWING THE PASSENGER LAID BACK ON THE SEAT
LOOKING OUT, AND THEN TURNING TOWARDS THE MAN AS HE SPEAKS

Man: “No, she wasn’t asleep…I am blind”

PASSENGER, SLOWLY MOVING HIS HEAD FROM THE WINDOW, TOWARDS THE
MAN, LOOKING SHOCKED AND SADDENED, BUT AWKWARD AT THE SAME TIME,
STARING AT THE MAN

Passenger: “I’m sorry… I didn’t know”

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CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE MAN TAKING OF HIS SUN GLASSES, QUIETLY, AND
LOOKING OUTSIDE AT THE SUNSET. SHOWING HIS EYES, JUST AS GLASSLY
AND LOOKING INTO THE DISTANT FIELDS AND SKY, THE TRAIN STILL
MOVING, THE SOUND OF THE TRAIN AND THE WIND A BIT LOUDER, AS THE
MUSIC STARTS [LUCIA- SILENCE, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfleLHXyIUA],
HE SLOWLY CLOSES HIS EYES, AND BREATHES DEEP, AND SMILES
SLIGHTLY AT HIS STUPIDITY

FADES TO BLACK, MUSIC CARRIES ON TILL CREDITS ARE OVER

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BMC 214 Scriptwriting for the Broadcast Media